Welcome Home Wendy

Tonight was a really special night.

We belong to an adoption ministry support group and we have truly come to love all the other families. Many have adopted, many are in the process of adopting, many plan to adopt, and some are just there to support us all. It's an awesome bunch of people. We get together once a month for fellowship and prayer. My favorite thing that we do, though, is that we gather at the airport when an adoptive child comes home. It is always full of joy.

Tonight was the West's turn. They brought home their beautiful daughter, Wendy from Guatemala. It was so special to be there celebrating her homecoming.

On my way to the airport I was struggling. Wendy is the 5th child to come home this year from our group. She is number 3 out of 5 that took FAR LESS time than how long we've waited to bring home our boys.

As I was driving to the airport I was really trying to suck it up. I wanted to be happy for the West's, and I was and still am, but there was this tug in my chest and the thought, "When is it our turn, Lord?" I finally asked Him. I felt bad doing it. His timing is perfect. He's got it all planned. But we've waited a really long time and there's not really any light at the end of our tunnel right now. And after I asked it, I just kept saying, "I want it to be our turn, Lord. I want it to be our turn, Lord." Over and over again. I told Him the desire of my heart.

Eventually I turned the radio on. It was on the Christian radio station and it was nearly the end of the song. I was close to the airport and I asked God to really use the next song on the radio to speak to my heart. Here's the song that came on. I've never heard it before.

Steven Curtis Chapman - Miracle Of The Moment
From the album "The Moment"

It’s time for letting go
All of our if only’s
‘Cause we don’t have a time machine

And even if we did
Would we really want to use it?
Would we really want to go change everything?

‘Cause we are who and where and what we are for now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

Chorus:
So breathe it in and breathe it out
Listen to your heartbeat
There’s a wonder in the here and now
It’s right there in front of you
And I don’t want you to miss
The miracle of the moment

There's only One who knows
What’s really out there waiting
In all the moments yet to be
And all we need to know
Is He’s out there waiting
To Him the future’s history

And He has given us a treasure called right now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out
Listen to your heartbeat
There’s a wonder in the here and now
It’s right there in front of you
And I don’t want you to miss
The miracle of the moment

And if it brings you tears
Then taste them as they fall
And let them soften your heart

And if it brings you laughter
Then throw your head back
And let it go, let it go
You gotta let it go

And listen to your heartbeat
And breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There’s a wonder in the here and now
It’s right there in front of you
And I don’t want you to miss
The miracle of the moment

This was the first time I heard this song. I was shocked at how clearly God answered my prayer. He told me to not miss out on the miracle of the moment. The miracle tonight is that there is another orphan who now has a family. That IS a miracle. And I didn't miss it. I wasn't sucked into self pity. I didn't miss the joy. I'm so thankful God spoke to me so clearly.

I've been questioning some steps I've taken recently in our adoption process. The first lines in the song truly spoke to that. I can't change it. There is no "if only." The song goes on to remind me that God knows the future and it's history to Him. HE KNOWS when our boys will come home. Like the song mentions, I cried tonight. I laughed tonight. And most importantly - I didn't miss the miracle of the moment.

Our moment is coming.

Oh, and in case you didn't know? Steven Curtis Chapman is a huge advocate of adoption. His family has adopted and he has an organization called Shaohannah's Hope that has been established to care for orphans by engaging the church and helping Christian families reduce the financial barriers to adoption.

So yeah, once again God knew exactly how to speak to me in a way that would touch me deeply. He is so good, so faithful, so awesome.